Clothes hanger



1969 H. MASSQN 3,459,348

CLOTHES HANGER Filed Dec. 23, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Arm/s H. MASSONCLOTHES HANGER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 23, 1966 brawn/e Hrrys.

Aug. 5, 1969 H. MASSON 3,459,348

CLOTHES HANGER Filed Dec. 23, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent3,459,348 CLOTHES HANGER Henri Masson, Vincennes, France, assignor toSerametta S.A., Lucerne, Switzerland Filed Dec. 23, 1966, Ser. No.604,323

Claims priority, application France, Jan. 17, 1966, 46,066; Apr. 4,1966, 56,223; June 16, 1966, 65,694

Int. Cl. A47j 51/097, 51/08 U.S. Cl. 223-87 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A clothes hanger has a combined hook-handle which isswingable between positions in which the hook is uppermost or in whichthe handle is uppermost. A lower bar for holding trousers is provided bya folded-over portion of triangular cross section the end of which is1nserted for retention in a slot. When the end portion is in the slot,the hanger has considerable thickness; but when the end portion is outof the slot, the hanger can fold flat.

Clothes hangers have of course been known for a long time and areintended to carry clothes in the best possible condition to avoidwrinkling.

The upper part is shaped to follow the shape of the shoulders of a suitor of a coat, whereas a transverse rod receives the trousers. Finally,an open hook enables to suspend the clothes hanger on a rod.

These clothes hangers are perfectly adapted for domestic use since, asthey are, they are not intended to be transported.

It is only occasionally that one transports clothes on a clothes hangerand this during a short time only, so that their traditional form hasalways given satisfaction.

In fact, clothing is very difiicult to transport on a clothes hanger.This is particularly the case when several pieces of clothing have to betransported, as it is the case, for example, when one has to transport acomplete collection for its presentation.

Even when only one clothes hanger has to be transported, this becomesvery hard since one is not able to seize the clothes hanger but throughone or two fingers in its open hook despite the relatively great weightof the clothes even made out of light tissue.

The present invention provides a remedy for this drawback and, to thisend, has for its object a clothes hanger characterized in that itcomprises at its upper part a holding handle, preferably provided with anotch the dimensions of which correspond substantially to those of a rodand/ or a hanging wire.

According to other features of the invention:

The clothes hanger comprises at the same time a traditional hook and agripping handle, these two elements being able to occupy, selectively,an active and a retracted position through pivoting, folding, sliding orotherw1se.

The hook and the handle are provided on the periphery of a same partmounted pivotally in its center at the summit of the clothes hangerproper, the pivoting axis being perpendicular to the plan of theconstitutive piece of the clothes hanger.

The clothes hanger is obtained by cutting and folding only one sheet ofcardboard which comprises at least one folding line on a part forming atransverse trouserscarrying rod, two pairs of inclined rods beingprovided on either side of the folding line, one of these pairs carryingat its summit a hook whereas the other bears a gripping handle, thesetwo members being, for example, spaced in height.

The clothes hanger is obtained through cutting and folding a sheet ofcardboard which comprises two inclined rods the edge of which isprovided with at least one folding line for a lug which at leastpartially doubles the thickness of each inclined rod.

A hook and/or a gripping handle is provided on a removable pieceintroduced and locked between the inclined rods and their doubling lugs.

The clothes hanger comprises two similar parts, each fixed by means ofits base on either side of the aperture of a bag.

Other accessory features of the invention will become more apparent fromthe detailed description given herebelow with reference to the attacheddrawings. Of course, the description and the drawings are given asnon-limitative example only.

aficording to the invention, which comprises two of said s eets.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view hanger of the type of FIGURE 5, of one ofits other part.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a piece comprising a conventlonal hook and alinkage with the clothes hanger of FIGURES 5 and 6.

With reference to the drawings, one sees that the clothes hangercomprises, in known manner, an upper curved part 1 the ends of which areconnected through a transversal rectilinear horizontal member 2. At thecenter of the upper part 1, a gripping handle 3 is located thedimensions and the shape of which are adapted to a human hand, in such away that one may confortably carry the clothes hanger as one carrieseasily ob ects much heavier such as a suit-case or a bag.

The provision of the handle 3 does not hinder easily hanging the clotheshanger on a rod of a hanging facility for example, since a notch 4 isprovided the dimensions of which are designed to ensure a perfectstabilit of the clothes hanger. One may further provide a second notch 5corresponding to the hanging of the clothes hanger on a wire, as it isalready known.

The notch 4 alone or associated with the notch 5 is not necessary sinceone could without great inconvenience hang the clothes hanger throughits handle 3 only but if the net cost is not prohibitive, one seesconversely, that the notch or notches are not awkward for a goodgripping of the handle 3.

If notches are not desired, one may provide a beak gs shows, inperspective view, clothes hanger according to of a complete clothes inwhich the outside parts is seen as well as the inside of the 6 in thehandle 3 limiting the aperture 7 to a width just sufiicient for thepassage of a standard rod. In that way, one avoids nearly all tiltingdanger and possible falling of the clothes hanger when it is suspended.

Studs (not shown as they are known in themselves) may also be providedon the lower face of the handle 3 which correspond to intervals of thefingers of the hand, the hanging rod finding then its place between twostuds.

With reference now to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, one sees that the clotheshanger is obtained by cutting out and folding a sheet of cardboard, soas to present a body comprised by a transverse trousers-carryinghorizontal member '2 and two pairs of inclined members 8.

During the cutting out of the central aperture in the sheet which isbounded by the members 2 and 8, one leaves a part 2a which is connectedthrough a fold line 9 to one side of the member 2.

The part 2a presents another fold line 10 defining a part 21;terminating in a central lug 11 having divergent edges.

The member 2 has a fold line 12 and a central slot 12a having a lengthslightly less than the greater length of the lug 11 taking into accountthe tapering of its edges.

The upper part of the inclined members 8 encompasses a central piece 13and a rivet (or eyelet) 14 passes through the whole in order on the onehand to interconnect the two pairs of members 8 and on the other hand toenable the pivoting of the piece 13. The piece 13 is thus pivotallysecured between the upper central portions of each half section of thehanger for rotation in its plane, that is, for rotation in a planeparallel to the plane of the hanger.

At the periphery of the piece 13, are located, diametrically opposed onefrom the other, a hook 15 and a gripping handle 16.

When being used for the first time to carry clothing, one folds the part2a along the line 9 and the part 2b along the line 10 and one drives thelug 11 in the central slot 12a provided along the line 12. The lockingof this lug 11 in the central slot 12a is ensured by its tapering edgeswhich oppose its coming out of the slot.

One obtains thus two effects:

First the member 2 is greatly enlarged and strengthened through thehorizontal part 2a, the trousers or clothing is then better maintainedand is not subjected to a strong folding.

Further, the inclined members 8 located one in front of the other areprogressively spaced apart from the top to the bottom. Thus, the jacketof the suit is perfectly held in place at the height of its shoulders.

When clothing is sold, if the merchant gives a clothes hanger with thesuit, the piece 13 is turned so that the handle 16 is located upwards,as represented. One may then easily transport the suspended suit,without any risk of making unwanted folds.

To keep the suit in a hanging facility, one pivots the piece 13 so thatthe hook takes the place of the handle 16. One may then hang the clotheshanger on a rod.

Each time one desires to transport the suit, one places the piece 13 inthe illustrated position to seize the handle 16.

For the transport and the storage of the clothes hanger alone, it iskept fiat, as represented in FIGURE 4. In this case, the part 2a islocated in the plane of one face of the member 2 whereas the part 2b andthe lug 11 are in the plane of the piece 13.

Of course, if it is necessary to suspend the clothes hanger from a hook(for example in a motor-car) one need not provide a hook 15, which atthe same time, eliminates the need for the piece 13. One may thusconsiderably simplify the clothes hanger by providing a handle 16 at thesummit of the two pairs of inclined members 8. One has thus a doublehandle.

To further simplify, one need not adopt the parts 2a and 2b to enlargethe member 2 but provide on said memher two folding lines parallel theone to the other, so that seen from the side the clothes hanger has atriangular shape the base of which is formed by the underside of themember 2 comprised between the two folding lines and the summit by twohandles 16.

The choice of cardboard as constitutive material of the clothes hangerneed not be only for economic reasons but also for the printing ofeasily visible advertisement designs.

Referring now to FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, one sees that the clothes hangercomprises two similar parts 17 and 18 glued together by means of theirbase on either side of the aperture of a paper bag 19 having lateralbellows.

Each part is obtained by cutting out and folding a sheet of cardboardsuch as that represented in FIGURE 5. This sheet comprises atrousers-carrying rod 2 and two inclined arms 8. At their summit, thearms 8 terminate in a gripping handle 20.

During the cutting of the sheet, one provides lugs 21 fast with the arms8 and provided with extensions 22. In the same way, a flap 23 isprovided which is fast with the rod 2.

During the uniting of the parts 17 and 18 with the bag 19, one folds atthe lugs 21 and the flap 23 along lines 24 and 25 after having put glueon the underside of the rod 2, the underside of the extensions 22 andthe underside of the flap 23. Thus, each edge of the bag 19 is gluedbetween the rod 2 towards the outside and the extensions 22 and the fiap23 towards the inside. The part 17 is located on one of the sideswhereas the part 18 is located on the other side.

One may also glue lugs '21 on the inside of the arms 8 but it isadvantageous to free at least the upper part of these lugs 21 in orderto enable a piece 24 to lie between arms 8 and lugs 21 (FIGURE 7). Thepiece 24 comprises a hook 25 and a base 26 the shape and the dimensionsof which are such that it locks perfectly the upper part of the arms 8and of the lugs 21.

With this embodiment, the piece 24 is provided with fold lines 27 and 28enabling to fold back the hook and to free the handle 20. Conversely, ifone desires to use the hook 25 and not the handle 20, one folds thislatter along a fold line 29.

The clothes hanger which has been described enables to suspend a suitand to use the bag 19 as a pocket. The filling of the bag 19 is notharmful to the suit but rather is an advantage since the jacket isexpanded at the height of the chest. The objects put in the bag 19 donot damage the suit since they are wrapped in the bag and their outershape is thus smoothed.

Such a clothes hanger is particularly well-suited for camping, sport,beach and travel and so on.

It can be realized very easily not only in cardboard and paper in itsless expensive version, but also in more durable materials such as wood,metal, leather, synthetic material and so on.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown butencompasses, on the contrary, all the variants. Particularly, one couldbe satisfied with a clothes hanger for a jacket only without trousers,in which case no central aperture would be provided to create thetransverse rod. In the same way, one may provide little hooks orrecesses for the suspension of dresses with shoulder straps.

Iclaim:

1. A clothes hanger comprising a pair of inclined members and an uppercentral portion connected therebetween for supporting the shoulders of agarment, said inclined members and central portion being disposedgenerally in a common plane, and a suspension piece for the hanger, saidsuspension piece being disposed in a plane generally parallel to saidcommon plane and being pivotally secured to said upper central portionof the hanger for pivotal movement of the suspension piece in the planeof the suspension piece about an axis that is generally each other andbeing substantially coplanar in said plane 5 of said suspension piece.

2. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, and a horizontal memberinterconnecting the lower ends of said inclined portions remote fromsaid upper central portion 10 of the hanger.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,619,742 3/1927 Mayhew 223-871,786,923 12/1930 Scruby 223-88 2,170,319 8/1939 Cantwell 22388 STANLEYN. GILREATH, Primary Examiner GEORGE H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R. 292-1, 169

